


Invisibility, or, Why Joshua Sucks

by Rethira



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-19
Updated: 2012-08-19
Packaged: 2017-11-12 12:01:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/490736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rethira/pseuds/Rethira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes Joshua is amazingly immature. Sometimes he's terribly immature while being incredibly <i>mature</i>, and those are the times Neku hates the most.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Invisibility, or, Why Joshua Sucks

Trying to say ‘No’ to Joshua is about as effective as a cat-flap in an elephant house – not least because Joshua tends to be as stubbornly immovable as an elephant when the mood strikes him.

Shiki, Beat and Rhyme still try to resist him of course, but Joshua never pays them as much attention, and is far more amenable to _them_ saying no than he is to Neku. As a result, Neku often finds himself sighing in resignation and agreeing to whatever scheme it is Joshua wants him to participate in now. Generally it’s something ridiculous, like spying on Joshua’s Reapers, or going to a Triple 7 concert without tickets. Sometimes it’s just Joshua wanting to go into Lapin Angelique, buy a bunny parka, some lacy gloves, tights and a skirt and then strut around Shibuya in them. Why he can’t do all that buy himself, Neku doesn’t ask, because this is _Joshua_ and he’s just a bit out of touch with reality.

Anyway, today Joshua had shown up, muttering about all the Reapers being so dreadfully boring.

“Come on, Neku,” Joshua says, grabbing Neku’s wrist. He tugged, almost hard enough to unbalance Neku. “We’re going shopping.”

“Ooh, can I come?” Shiki asks, kicking her heels a little. “I’ve been dying to see some of the new D+B designs, and I heard Pegaso’s brought out a new line.”

Joshua tilts his head, almost as if he’d forgotten about Shiki – but then, Joshua might have. This is, after all, Joshua.

“Actually, I was really hoping to get Neku some new J of the M clothes. These ones are almost run ragged, Neku.” Joshua glares at him, mock reproachfully. “But here, I have a few yen pins on me, buy yourself something nice.”

Shiki grins and sends Neku a little sly look that makes him want to drag his ‘phones up over his ears and dig his hands into his pockets.

“Sure thing! Have fun you two!” She waves goodbye as she hurries off towards 104.

Joshua waves back. He leans closer to Neku, perching his head on Neku’s shoulder. “Now that she’s gone,” he whispers, “we can have some fun.”

“Joshua,” Neku starts, just about to put some distance between them, hoping desperately to halt Joshua’s latest crazy plot – but it’s too late. “We’re invisible, aren’t we?”

“Mm-hm,” Joshua agrees, smirking. “And before we get you some new clothes, we’re going to have some fun.”

~

Fun turns out to be sitting around and pulling harmless pranks – harmless by Joshua’s standards anyway, and it wasn’t like Neku really participated – until night fell. And then Joshua jumped up from where he’d been leaning against Hachiko, and dragged Neku off down to the underpass.

“Seriously? We’re going to traipse to your place _again_?” Neku asks – he’s so entitled, the Dead God’s Pad may be pretty awesome all told, but the route to get there smells like _sewer_ and the Reapers always gave Neku really weird looks.

“Not tonight, Neku,” Joshua replies, giggling. “Look, there they are!” He bounces on his feet and pushes Neku forward, so he can see-

Oh. _Oh_. _Ew._

“You made me stick around all day just so you could watch some people-” Neku gestures eloquently.

“Watching them by myself is no fun, Neku,” Joshua replies. “Look, he’s going to touch her now.”

And sure enough, the guy’s hand is going under the girl’s skirt and Neku has definitely seen enough-

“Don’t leave now, Neku,” Joshua continues. “The fun’s just getting started.” He reaches over and catches Neku’s wrist.

“ _Joshua_ ,” Neku hisses, trying to snatch his arm back. The girl makes a noise and Neku flinches, much to Joshua’s obvious amusement.

“Come here, Neku,” Joshua says, tugging Neku closer and tucking him against his chest.

“What are you doing?” Neku asks, twisting so he didn’t have to look at the- at the- he should’ve known this is what Joshua did in his spare time.

Joshua giggles and nuzzles Neku’s neck. “Isn’t it obvious, Neku? We’re going to watch, and then....” He trails off with another little laugh. “We’ll see, hmm?”

There are so many things wrong with this situation, Neku doesn’t even know where to begin. It’s so ridiculously _Joshua_ that Neku just sighs and relaxes back against Joshua. Joshua makes a pleased noise and guides them both onto a hopefully clean wall.

In the relative silence, it’s kind of hard to ignore the busy couple and Neku _really_ hates Joshua right now, so he doesn’t watch and tries thinking about other things instead. Like Pi-Face. And Lollipop. And whether or not any of the Reapers know what their boss gets up to in his spare time. They probably do and just don’t say anything, because Joshua’s the type of person to violently demote people he doesn’t like.

Joshua pokes Neku in the side. “You’re not watching,” Joshua whines. “I could tell you everything they’re doing, Neku.” Joshua leans closer, lips brushing against Neku’s ear. “I could tell you _everything_.”

Neku shudders and bats at Joshua’s hand. “We’re not doing _that-_ ” he starts.

“Why not?” Neku can almost _hear_ Joshua’s pout.

At that, Neku twists around so he can face Joshua. “Because beds are a thing that exist,” he says, bluntly. “We can go to your place, or I can go home and explain to Shiki why I went shopping with you and don’t have any new clothes.”

Joshua smirks. “Deal,” he says, and drags Neku down past the couple – Neku dumps the suggestion “Sewers smell like shit,” in the girl’s head as they pass them – and towards the Dead God’s Pad.

Really, sometimes Neku wished Joshua wasn’t so utterly, utterly insane. Or at least that he could just bother someone else with his insanity.

~

“Hey, Neku,” Joshua starts, his fingers trailing just a bit too low for Neku’s liking.

“No,” Neku says, batting the offending hand away.

Joshua pouts like a champion. “You’re no fun,” he says, rolling off of Neku.

“I’m fifteen, even if you’re not,” Neku replies.

“Worst boyfriend ever,” Joshua announces, and then he disappears in rush of feathers, because Joshua is fundamentally kind of a jerk.

“I’ll see you whenever,” Neku announces, before letting himself out. Kitaniji gives Neku a _look_ , but it’s not like he can complain. Neku saved Shibuya for him, and in a better way than Kitaniji himself could have.

“Bye, Neku!” Joshua calls, waving enthusiastically from where he’s- _Seriously_ , Joshua? _Seriously_?

Neku knows he’s only wearing a towel to freak out Kitaniji, but Kitaniji doesn’t know that.

Point of fact; Neku _always_ hates Joshua.

**Author's Note:**

> You have _no idea_ how close I came to just having Neku call Joshua a butt. _No idea. ___


End file.
